STEEP Blog
The Oklahoma Academy features an occasional guest blogger on our website. We are pleased to feature this month's contribution written by Jennifer Engleman, Communications Director for the Oklahoma Academy.
The Oklahoma Academy Town Hall
The Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, commonly referred to as the Oklahoma Academy, has been instrumental in public policy development in Oklahoma for over three decades. Originally founded in 1967 by Governor Henry Bellmon, the Oklahoma Academy was revitalized in 1985 and adopted the Town Hall conference format in 2001.
From 1985 to 2000, the Oklahoma Academy used a traditional conference format to bring attention to and form recommendations addressing critical public policy issues facing the state. The first conference in 1985 was Economic Development in Oklahoma. In the years that followed, the Oklahoma Academy covered a range of topics including education, small business development, government structure, crime, technology and the future, and the state's constitution.
In 2001, the Oklahoma Academy adopted the Town Hall conference format, which sought to recruit a demographically representative group of partipants and encourage collaboration in developing recommendations. Since adopting the Town Hall format, the Oklahoma Academy has been able to reach more Oklahomans, cover a greater variety of policy issues and has seen a large number of Town Hall recommendations become both legislative and community implemented realities.
What sets the Oklahoma Academy apart from other public policy organizations is its dedication to civil public discourse and nonpartisan policy development. Whether it's in a traditional conference format or at a Town Hall, the Oklahoma Academy upholds a commitment to researched, objective information, nonpartisan collaboration and consensus building.
A lot of work goes into planning and preparing for a Town Hall. Approximately 18 months before the research begins, a topic must be decided. We solicit ideas from Oklahoma Academy members and members of other civic and public policy organizations and then present those ideas to our Board of Directors at the June board retreat and planning meeting. The Board discusses and votes on the topics.
Share your ideas for the 2013 Town Hall by completing a short survey.
Once a topic is selected, a research committee and a Town Hall planning committee are created. Their work begins immediately. They will spend between 12 and 18 months defining perimeters, identifying and approaching potential authors and speakers, compiling the research document, recruiting and training a team of panel leaders, recorders and report chairs, and creating a thoughtful discussion outline. Approximately one month before the start of the Town Hall, participants receive the background document, which they are expected to read prior to the Town Hall.
The Town Hall participant nomination process typically begins 4-5 months before the Town Hall. A person may nominate him or herself or another person. Between 120 and 150 nominees will be selected. The group of participants will, as closely as possible, represent the socio-economic demographic composition of Oklahoma. Additionally, the group will include 10 university students who attend on scholarship.
Typically held in the Fall, the Town Hall is a two and a half day event. Divided into panels of 25, participants follow a discussion outline, weighing the issues and making specific recommendations. Each group is equipped with a panel leader who guides the group toward consensus and a recorder who synthesizes the group’s work. Each evening after the panels break for the day, the recorders meet to draft a consensus of all the panels’ findings.
The findings are crafted into a final report of recommendations and are presented to the entire group on the final morning of the Town Hall. A brief meeting of each panel with their facilitator and recorder provides an opportunity for review and discussion of the final report. A half-day plenary session concludes the Town Hall and provides the participants with the occasion to debate and resolve differences between the groups.
The 2012 Town Hall is entitled "Oklahoma's Place in the World." This Town Hall will consider what actions need to be taken and in which areas to make Oklahoma a global competitor over the next 20 years. The dates for the 2012 Town Hall are October 14-17, and it will be held at the NCED Conference Center in Norman.
While we would like to have you as a participant at the Town Hall, you can be a big help to us by spreading the word and sending in nominations for Town Hall participants. We'll begin the nomination process in June. Email Jamie Wade if you'd like more information about nominating someone for the Town Hall. There are also opportunities for single or multi-day observers and volunteers.
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Last Updated May 15, 2012
